The Indentured Servant
by mepb
Summary: A centaur bard rescues a boy from an abusive master, then bringing him as she reunites with old friends...only to be betrayed by an ambitious king.
1. Chapter One

I think this is a pretty good story. But it might me a little boring in some places...can't have fighting all the time. But hopefully you enjoy, and send me many reviews please and I promise that this story will go somewhere...soon.  
  
-Chapter One:  
  
Hrimfaxi galloped down the slope, aware that arrows flew through the air around her; arrows of the same orc-make as the ones with their points buried in the wood of her shield. She felt a rock bounce off her leather armor between her shoulders; she winced, despite her armor the rocks the orcs were throwing still caused her to bruise. She looked behind her just in time to see an arrow flying her way; she veered and the arrow missed her. Instead the missile smashed into the lute the centaur bard carried strung across her back; Hrimfaxi gave a horse-like snort as she heard the wood of her beloved instrument crack upon the arrow's impact.  
  
"Well," Hrimfaxi thought to herself. "Better my lute then the foal."  
  
The 'foal' she was referring to was a runty 10-year old boy she carried tucked under her arm. In her other hand she held her shield that protected them both and her short-spear; the spear's head was covered with recent orc blood. The boy too had his clothes splattered with blood from the orcs Hrimfaxi had just rescued him from. The centaur was surprised at the boy's calmness; was he mute or had the orcs drugged him? Instead the boy, still with the orcs' blindfold around his eyes, just calmly gripped his rescuer's arm. The boy was light and the centaur fast and so soon the two were nearing the village border. Taking two extra long strides Hrimfaxi tucked her forelegs under her and jumped the barbed wire barrier in front of the town's wooden stockade. Without missing a pace Hrimfaxi landed and galloped in through the stockades' gates; several men armed with bows guarded the gate to fend off any orc still chasing the bard. Once Hrimfaxi heard the doors of the gate closing, she slowed down. Even though the town guards were too scared to rescue a young boy who had been captured while searching for an escaped cow, Hrimfaxi knew they were trained enough to guard the gates.  
  
The centaur slowed down to a more comfortable canter, still carrying the blindfolded boy under her arm, she wasn't going to stop until she had delivered the child back to his home and she had been properly paid for rescuing him. Shifting the boy's weight so he was no longer sideways, Hrimfaxi heard him give a muted groan. She patted his head lightly with a large tattooed hand; by the time she had worked the blindfold off one- handedly she had stopped in front of the Full Gallon Inn. She trotted into the stable where she knew she would find Mr. Kutter, the owner of the inn. As Hrimfaxi passed the rows of stalls the stabled horses –belonging to people lodging in the inn- poked their heads out and watched the centaur pass, occasionally giving a curious nicker. The bard ignored them and instead called out in a nasal voice.  
  
"Kutter! Where are you?"  
  
Out of a nearby stall a human man, quite dumpy and fat, waddled out carrying a pitchfork used for cleaning manure. "So, you returned with the brat after all. Don't suppose you found the lost cow too?" He was an unclean man and as Hrimfaxi answered she took a couple steps backward.  
  
"No, there was no sign of the cow but I have returned with you son."  
  
"Son?" snorted Mr. Kutter, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "That runt's no son of mine. Just some abandoned boy. I bought his indenture from the mid-wife so he's mine for four more years." Hrimfaxi had just assumed that that the boy she had been hired to rescue was the innkeeper's son. Now that she was able to look more closely at the boy –who she had dumped on a soft pile of hay- she was able to see there was no resemblance between the boy's sandy blond hair and the innkeeper's baldness.  
  
"Lucky for the boy," Hrimfaxi thought, much preferring the boy's pug nose to the man's large, red, one. Now that she was able to study the 10- year-old she saw his knees shaking and several purple bruises she assumed the orcs had given him; his clothes were torn and dirty, again thanks to the orcs. Mr. Kutter turned to the boy; Hrimfaxi waited patiently to be paid.  
  
"Where's the cow boy?" Kutter yelled. "How could you lose a perfectly good animal?" the indentured servant remained silent, just watching Kutter's every move with large watery blue eyes. Hrimfaxi, yanking an arrow out of her shield was too busy to prevent the first blow. But, but gripping Kutter's beefy arm in her own strong grip she was able to prevent the man from hitting his cringing servant a second time. "This is none of your business," Kutter snarled at Hrimfaxi, trying to free his arm from her hold; this close to the man Hrimfaxi was able to smell liquor reeking off of him. "Let go of me! I'll pay you what we agreed on if that's what you want!"  
  
Hrimfaxi gave him a shake. "What I want to know is why you are hitting your own servant!" Hrimfaxi replied.  
  
"It's none of you business! I bought his indenture and this shirker was not worth it! He's too stupid and lazy to be worth the gold I paid for him! I hired you to rescue and you got the job done, I'll pay you and you can be on your way." Hrimfaxi let go of the Kutter's arm out of disgust and the innkeeper –momentarily distracted from the 10-year-old boy- dug some silver coins from his smock. "I thank you for rescuing him," he told the centaur. "I'd hate to lose him after what I paid for his indenture."  
  
Hrimfaxi, looking down her longish face, stamped her hoof and with a flick of her black tail sent the silver coins flying from the palm of Mr. Kutter's hand into the dust of the stable floor. A red flush, brought on by anger and too much ale, rose to his face.  
  
"Look," he spit into the bard's face. "I've thanked ye politely for rescuing the lad; if you don't want to accept the payment we agreed upon you can just leave!"  
  
"As far as I'm concerned," Hrimfaxi retorted. "I still consider the boy in my charge and won't tolerate you treating him such."  
  
"I don't believe this was in our agreement! The boy's indenture contract says nothing about how I should punish him the 14 years that he belongs to me."  
  
"But I'm pretty sure the contract says he deserves good feeding and suitable clothing." Hrimfaxi was disgusted to realize the child's bruises and torn clothing were not due solely to the orcs; that Mr. Kutter was mostly responsible. Mr. Kutter's fat chin and lips began to twitch with anger.  
  
"I don't believe I shall pay you after those kind of insults," he said as bending down to retrieve his silver coins from the ground. He did not seem to notice that the boy had scurried behind the bard, hidden behind the centaur's sturdy legs and abundant tail.  
  
"That doesn't matter because I'm demanded that you give me the boy's indenture as payment."  
  
"What?" shrieked the fat man,.  
  
"You heard me," Hrimfaxi repeated slowly and sarcastically. "Instead of the coins we bargained for you give me the lad."  
  
"But I paid much more money for his contract then a bunch of silver coins!" he whined. Hrimfaxi paused, but dug out five gold coins and handed them to the man, she saw a greedy look come into his eyes. "Now go get his contract so we can sign or I'll bring you in front of a magistrate for maltreating a servant!" The man waddled off leaving them along.  
  
Hrimfaxi snorted at herself; was she becoming soft? She heard a sniffle and looked behind her. There was the boy she had just bargained for, his arms wrapped around her back leg tightly. His nose was runny and needed to be wiped; she gently picked up her leg and shook him off before he could sneeze over the leather bands that protected her legs. Mr. Kutter now came back with a sheet, quill, and writing board; he had already signed his name rather sloppily. Hrimfaxi read over the new contract before she signed; it looked fine, just stating that she had the boy's service until he was 14 –which was in four ore years- yet she was required to bring him to a healer regularly, to feed, clothe, and shelter him. After the contract had been signed, Mr. Utter picked up his pitchfork and waving it at them said. "Get out of here now!" Hrimfaxi looked down at the man and suddenly let out a high-pitched neigh, imitating the one stallions gave as a warning to their mares. Immediately all the stabled horses started kicking their hooves against their stall walls, throwing their heads, and rearing up.  
In the end it was Mr. Kutter who fled the stable first. 


	2. Chapter Two

Okay, let us see where this next chapter goes. Yes, I know, the boy is a little wimpy but isn't Hrimfaxi cool? I'm trying to portray him as a 10- year-old, mal-treated child who desperately wants to be loved. Get it?  
  
-Chapter Two:  
  
Hrimfaxi trotted out of the stable, the boy slung across her shoulder; (centaurs treat their offspring differently then humans). The boy remained limp and quiet as the centaur trotted up to Murphy's Inn -the only other inn in the village- she nearly forgot the boy's presence. Murphy's Inn was more costly then the Full Gallon Inn, probably cleaner too, and Hrimfaxi knew that she didn't want to spend the night in the Full Gallon inn after how angry she had made Mr. Kutter.  
  
Instead of climbing the five stairs to the inn she took them all in one leap and went in though the door. She set the boy down, who seemed slightly dizzy, and as she rang the bell to get the innkeeper's attention she noticed that he looked sick, probably thanks to that Kutter guy. A short man in a properly cleaned smock came up to them with a bow.  
  
"Do you have any ground floor rooms?" she asked.  
  
"Ground floor?" the man answered. "Yes we do."  
  
"Then I would like a ground floor room," continued the bard. "With one cot for the child and dinner for two."  
  
"May I ask how long you plan on staying?"  
  
"Only a night."  
  
"Right away." The man went off into a hallway.  
  
Hrimfaxi, while waiting for the innkeeper to return, turned to face the boy. He looked half-asleep and was clinging tightly to the end of Hrimfaxi's tail. With a snort she whipped it out of his grasped and he stumbled backwards, surprised. "What's your name, boy?": she asked him.  
  
"Cleon." His speech was slightly slurred and he talked timidly.  
  
"Well, Cleon," Hrimfaxi continued, looking him over critically. "You're a pretty skinny colt. I'd be ashamed to call you my foal."  
  
Cleon replied. "I'm not a foal, I'm a kid!"  
  
"You're a baby goat?" the centaur asked, a smile coming to her face. Cleon didn't answer but he too smiled as much as his bruised face allowed him too.  
  
By that time the innkeeper had come back. "You're room is ready," he said. Hrimfaxi followed him past the kitchen and the dining area; Cleon grabbed onto her tail once again. "Dinner will be at eight," the man said while leaving them in front of their room. The room was quite nice -worth the extra expense- with a cot for Cleon, a closet, and a warm bath drawn up before a fire. Hrimfaxi walked over to the closet and started putting her things -carried in a saddlebag strung across her withers- away. She gingerly took her lute -broken by the orcs' arrows- and plucked a frayed string. It let out a pitifully off-key sound and Hrimfaxi felt off-key magic leak out. Immediately the centaur bard stopped the string from vibrating, shut the lute in the closet, and felt the bad magic dissipate. As she slammed the closet door shut, her spear -which had been leaning against the wall- fell to the floor. Immediately Cleon's small, quick, fingers picked it up. Taking the edge of his shirt he began cleaning the blood and dust off meekly.  
  
"Maybe you'll be useful after all," Hrimfaxi said approvingly. "But you're not helping; that shirt is as dirty as my spear. After you've taken a bath we'll get you some new clothes."  
  
"A bath?" shrieked Cleon.  
  
"Yes, a bath," she ordered and Hrimfaxi, seeing the run-away-look come into his eyes, grabbed him before he could escape.  
  
"Let go of me!" he yelped, forgetting that she had just rescued him twice. The centaur ignored him and instead picked him up where he wriggled in her grasp like a fish. The water in the tub was already soapy because the maid had already dumped a bar of soap in. Hrimfaxi dropped the boy into the sudsy water; shoes and clothes still on. The tub was large and the boy small so Cleon had to cling to the side to keep from sinking down. From here he glared at Hrimfaxi but the centaur just glared back and with a large hand dunked his head underwater so all of him was wet.  
  
Now Hrimfaxi's treatment of Cleon may seem rough (especially leaving his clothes still on) but you must remember that she is a centaur, and centaurs treat their young differently.  
  
A couple minutes later Hrimfaxi dragged Cleon out of the water where he fairly stopped down because of the weight of water in his clothes. Hrimfaxi, suddenly realizing her mistake, laughed out-loud even though the ten-year-old looked perfectly miserably with his own little puddle of water forming around his feet.  
  
"Go sit near the fire to dry off," Hrimfaxi told him while handing the boy a couple towels. But now that she had her laugh she was wondering: "What have I done? I've agreed to take care of a child...a human child and I know nothing about raising foals...not even centaur ones." And while she was glad that she could finally see the true color of Cleon's hair, she was sad that some new bruises and scars had also made themselves apparent. Folding her four legs under her she knelt down next to the sitting boy -even kneeling she towered above him- and raised her hand. The boy, upon seeing Hrimfaxi's hand, immediately cringed, expecting a blow. "Don't worry," she said, shocked at the child's reaction and feeling hatred against Mr. Kutter. "I will never hurt you...I may dunk you in bath-water, but that's for your own good. Right now I want to heal those bruises you have."  
  
Hrimfaxi began humming a tune and Cleon could feel the sound vibrating, creating a disturbance around the centaur and causing her fingers to glow. She pressed her glowing fingertips against a purple-black bruise above Cleon's brow. Cleon felt a slight sting and to him it seemed as if his heart suddenly sped up and his breathing raced. All the heartbeats and breath intakes it would have taken over a series of days to heal the bruise naturally, happened magically in only a couple of seconds; in a few moments pink, healthy skin replaced scabs, welts, and bruises. Healing made any person tired and so before the boy could nod off, Hrimfaxi whipped the towels off of a reasonably-dry Cleon.  
  
"Before you fall asleep make sure you eat something, and before dinner arrives I want to get you some proper clothes."  
  
"You don't need to do this," Cleon protested sleepily as the bard dragged him out the door.  
  
"Of course I do. I'd be ashamed to have my servant dressed in such rags. Besides, we need to get you some traveling supplies and I need to get a new horse-shoe; I think one of mine was torn loose at the orcs' camp."  
  
"Wait," said Cleon, stopping so that Hrimfaxi had to grab his hand and jerk him out of the inn. "So we really are leaving tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"To Hensville, which is a little town in the Gorgon Kingdom." 


	3. Chapter Three

I know my chapters are really long...sorry, and I apologize in advance for future longer chapters. So as a tip, it's easier to read when you make the font bigger (upper right corner)  
  
-Chapter Three:  
  
"What are we gonna be doing there?"  
  
Hrimfaxi seemed slightly annoyed by the barrage of questions. "Are all human's this talkative?" But out-loud she said, "I'm going to meet my friends there; friends I haven't seen for years."  
  
"What am I going to be doing?" Cleon asked. The centaur looked down at the boy.  
  
"Well...I'll show you how to properly clean my armor and weapons and do the odd chore." They walked into Madame Shiva's Clothing Store and she added. "And while I'm glad that you're reasonably intelligent, we will have plenty of time to talk later on the road and so please refrain from conversation while you are being measured." An elderly woman, Madame Shiva, came in from behind the store.  
  
"What can I get you dearie?" she asked. "Though we may not have anything in your size," she added, glancing at the centaur.  
  
"It's not for me, mum," Hrimfaxi replied, shoving Cleon forward. I'd like two sets of work clothes, a sleeping outfit, and a set of traveling gear for the colt." Madame Shiva nodded and brought a small stool for Cleon to stand up on; she began measuring him with a knotted rope -the knots equaling a certain length- and Cleon, who had often been whipped with a knotted rope by Mr. Kutter, trembled a bit. But Madame Shiva gave him a friendly wink and slipped him a piece of rock candy. Quickly and skillfully she measured his arms, legs, waist and shoulders and hustled back behind the store to fetch the sets of clothing. Hrimfaxi was sad to see that it took very few knots to reach around the runty boy's waist.  
  
"Why are you doing this for me?" Cleon asked.  
  
Hrimfaxi paused before answering. "One, because I value human life, and secondly, the contract says I need to give you at least three sets of clothes."  
  
"Really?" Cleon asked, surprised.  
  
"Yes," and Hrimfaxi took out the contract from her money bag. "It also says I need to give you three meals a day, a visit to the healer twice a year, and an education." She showed him the paper. He squinted at it with blue eyes puzzled.  
  
"Mr. Kutter never taught me to read," he told the bard, still staring at the paper. "He said I was too stupid for him to waste time and money on me for schooling; that all I needed to know was how to work."  
  
"Well I'll educate you as best as I can and Felosial will probably help you too."  
  
"Who's Felosial?"  
  
"She one of my very good friends." Hrimfaxi said while accepting Cleon's new clothes from Madame Shiva. "One we will meet up with at Hensville." She paid the shopkeeper and they headed out.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why am I meeting up with her again? Because we -me and her and two others- haven't seen each other in years; we used to adventure together." They stopped in front of Murphy's Inn. "I want you to go inside and change out of those rags. I'm going to the blacksmith to get a new horseshoe."  
  
Cleon went obediently to the door of the inn, but at the door he stubbornly turned around and made Hrimfaxi promise him to tell about her friends once she came back.  
  
Hrimfaxi waited patiently while the blacksmith pounded the last nail into her hoof. He was a fine artisan and as she walked home the centaur was pleased with its stability. She trotted into the inn and opened the door outward, nearly running into Cleon who sat on the floor inches away from the door. Hrimfaxi -not used to having someone awaiting her return so eagerly- hesitated before entering the room.  
  
"Have you spent the last half-hour staring at the door? I thought you were a kid, not a dog!" she asked sharply. The boy shook his head 'no' and the bard looked around and saw that the cot had been remade flawlessly, the spilled water around the bath-tub mopped up, and the fire built up. The centaur picked up her spear; it had been cleaned of all dirt and orc blood.  
  
"Will you tell me about your friends now? The ones we're gonna meet tomorrow?"  
  
"I will while I fix my lute." She went over to the cabinet and took out her broken instrument. Folding her long chestnut legs she knelt near the fire and with tattooed hands pieced the wood back together. Under her magic the frayed ends of broken strings laced themselves together and the chipped wood smoothed over. The centaur bard took the deep-bellied instrument and strummed the 6 strings experimentally; it let out a muted, soft sound. Cleon also sat down, but made sure to leave the centaur enough personal space and waited for her to begin. Hrimfaxi plucked the strings absently while she began. She was a masterful -and trained- storyteller and Cleon dared not interrupt.  
  
"It was years ago that I left my tribe to learn the skills of a bard in the city. There was a famous half-elven bard, Thames, that had agreed to be my mentor. I was lucky I had found such a good tutor. But Thames was also a wizard and had another student, an elf apprentice. This young elf -well, young in elven standards since she's at least 100 years older than me- was named Felosial and at first we hated each other. I thought she was haughty and she labeled me as monstrous. We both wanted to be our mentor's best student and were constantly jealous of each other; always trying to outdo the other in studying, combat, etc. Thames knew of this rivalry, but never stopped it for because of it Felosial and I learned very fast. We both studied for hours on end to beat the other, practiced until we were sore so that the next day Thames would give an extra, treasured, compliment."  
  
"Well, Thames finally drew the line when he had to unfreeze me from a spell Felosial had cast and he had to heal her broken shoulder; we had gotten into a fight. Thames was very disappointed in us; and we -the two students- were very ashamed. So ashamed that we agreed in secret to not fight anymore; and believe it or not we became inseparable friends, I helping her with combat skills, she teaching me some more finer parts of magic. We were so inseparable that once Thames declared us finished with our studies, we set off adventuring together; only most big cities already had heroes so we traveled to a small city, -named Fenei- a city overrun with criminals; in fact, on ur first day there we nabbed a small halfling -named Eldon- who was trying to pickpocket Felosial purse; we wouldn't have noticed him except Felosial had cast a very advanced warding spell."  
  
"We brought this young halfling thief -he was only about your age- to the constable of the town -a dwarf named Rurik- only he wasn't the real constable, he was really a cleric of Moradin, only acting as sheriff while they tried to find a man to dill the job; the previous constable had gone insane trying to control all the criminals. We saw Rurik was nearly insane, he had been sent here from his temple to be a healer and didn't have any training as an officer; only the people in Fenei were desperate for someone to fill the job and so he volunteered. I won't say much of Rurik's intelligence...but his conscience gets him into a lot of trouble. We decided to help this poor dwarf."  
  
"Thank Boccob that the new constable came quickly because the work was quite hard - I don't think we would have stayed except that Felosial and Rurik became friends and I pitied the poor dwarf. But we didn't leave immediately for we didn't really like the new sheriff. He was a half-orc and well-trained but also violent and ruthless. We feared he might punish some of the criminals too harshly; like Eldon who was only a young halfling. He and Rurik had become good friends while Eldon was in jail and we felt sorry for him because he had been forced into thievery by poverty. So we paid Eldon's bail and rescued him from the half-orc."  
  
"Is that when you guys started traveling together," Cleon asked. "And fighting monsters?"  
  
"Yes," answered the centaur, slightly miffed at being interrupted. "We went off together...and we did fight monsters; tribes of orcs, bands of ogres, a dragon or two...it went like that for awhile until we became quite wealthy -at least I was, Rurik gave most of his money to temple charities, Felosial spent it all on magical artifacts and Eldon...well, I don't know what he did with his- and after that we didn't need to adventure anymore and went different ways. Rurik's superiors at the temple summoned him and he took Eldon -who he had practically adopted- with him, probably hoping to turn him into a cleric though no temple would initiate a thief like him. Felosial was given a very prestigious job in the Wizards' Guild and I went back to my tribe after they elected me as their leader. We still corresponded through mail, and a week ago I received a leter from all three of them saying that they were planning to meet up in Hensville and would I like to come?"  
  
"Tomorrow," finished Hrimfaxi. "We travel to Hensville -it'll be about a day;s travel- and I'll introduce you to my friends. It seems Felosial has taken a small break from her job -probably wearing down her health- Rurik has been sent here by his temple and Eldon...well, his letter was brief and I assume he's coming with Rurik." Hrim faxi got up now and put away her fixed lute. She took off her leather arm and legs bands along with her should pads; straightening the tunic and belt she wore underneath. "Aren't you going to bed yet?" she said sternly.  
  
Cleon immediately jumped up and settled in his cot. Hrimfaxi trotted over to the cot and looked down at the boy form up high, fidgeting with her braided and beaded mane nervously.  
  
"I don't know much about human foals, er...kids," she said, a bit shyly. "So if you need anything...tellme."  
  
It looked like Cleon was already asleep. Hrimfaxi tried to walk over to the fireplace quietly and she too, not used to sleeping with another person in the room, fell asleep; standing up on all four legs and rocking back and forth peacefully. 


	4. Chapter Four

I'd really like to improve my story (well, only to a certain extent) but would really like people to review and tell me what they like (preferably) and what they don't like (don't be too brutal).  
  
-Chapter Four:

They had left early morning and the latest mile marker had said 2 miles to Hensville. They had checked out of Murphy Inn 6 hours ago. Hrimfaxi knew all the routes and she and the boy made good time on the road; maybe it was a little to fast a pace for Cleon, which would be understandable because Hrimfaxi frequently forgot that she was not traveling alone. She had not burdened the boy too much; he only carried his own bundle of clothing and the centaur's grooming supplies.

Hrimfaxi carried the rest of their stuff; her lute strung across her back, a pack filled with rations, several books she had picked up hoping Felosial could use them to educate Cleon, and in her hand held her shield and spear. The centaur was humming absently, but she was actually quite alert; she knew one a main road like this a single bard accompanied by a young boy would seem like easy targets. So far all they had seen was a herdsman herding his goats, a merchant bundling in his cart behind his oxen, and a small patrol of soldiers; still Hrimfaxi was wary. She could tell they were nearing the town and stopped by the side of the road to give the boy a rest and dislodge a stone from her hind hoof. Cleon flopped down on the ground, dumped the small packages he was carrying, and gulped down water from a water-skin. The centaur took a hoof-pick -a curved metal bar- from one of Cleon's sacks and lifted her hind foot; a very large foot with carefully trimmed chestnut fur. But as she reached around to take care of her hoof, the bruise between her shoulders -the one she had received from the orcs the previous day- pained her and no matter how much she bent her leg or twisted her back the stiff and sore muscles kept her from getting the annoying gravel out of her hoof.

"Can I help?" Cleon asked, coming over to Hrimfaxi.

"You must think this comical," she said with a snort as she stamped her foot down in frustration, and then wincing. Cleon didn't reply or seem to mind the centaur's snappy reply; he much preferred Hrimfaxi's sarcasm to Mr. Kutter's beating. Taking the hoof-pick he knelt down and ran his hand down her hock and pinched right above the hoof. Automatically Hrimfaxi lifted her leg and Cleon rested it on his knee while removing the rock from where it was stuck between the centaur's horseshoe and the V-shaped frog.

"I took care of the horses a lot at Mr. Kutter's Inn," he explained while standing up. "

"Well, I am not a horse," Hrimfaxi replied snappily, testing her foot out, but Cleon could tell she was pleased; she had been limping for the last quarter mile. Hrimfaxi walked a circle to test her hoof, but stopped midway and tensed up. Immediately her shield was in position and spear hefted. Cleon, alarmed, noisily corked his canteen and scrambled behind the centaur who was busy watching a shadowed group of people coming towards them. Slowly the group came closer and a faint 'Ahoy' sounded across the rise in the road. Cleon, fearing orcs, was surprised to find Hrimfaxi throwing down her weapon and galloping off delightedly, showering his huddled form with gravel raised by her hooves. In a matter of seconds Hrimfaxi had crossed the rise in the road and was fiercely hugging a slender elf. Cleon, struggling to carry his bundle and Hrimfaxi's fallen spear, tried to catch up to her. When he finally scrambled over the hill the centaur was hugging a small halfling. So eager was the bard that the halfling -wearing a curious vest all made out of pockets- was lifted off the ground.

"It's so good to see you guys!" Hrimfaxi was saying, rearing playfully. "Felosial," she said, addressing the elf with the smoothest complexion and glossiest hair, "You don't look a day older and Eldon," she said to the halfling, "I see Rurik didn't turn you into cleric after all." Felosial smiled brilliantly and Eldon laughed at Hrimfaxi's comment.

"If you grow any bigger, you're gonna crush us short people," a relaxed drawl informed Hrimfaxi. A short dwarf, dressed in a tunic with the hammer of Moradin knitted in it, stepped out from behind Felosial.

"If you grow any fatter your stomach will pop out of that belt your wearing," Hrimfaxi retorted, but shook the dwarf's equally large and calloused hand.

"This is not just any belt," Rurik replied. "This is a belt of a newly promoted Chief Cleric of the Temple of Moradin." He fingered the jeweled belt proudly; in the belt hung a large war-hammer that glowed lightly. Before the centaur could make a snappy comment he added after spotting Cleon, "I see you have a kid."

"I thought you said you hated every male centaur on the earth," Eldon reminded her with a wink.  
Hrimfaxi, flicked her tail angrily at both dwarf and halfling and said, "He is not MY foal. I bought his indenture yesterday."

"You are taking care of a child?" Rurik asked unbelievably. "You know nothing about children."

"And I suppose child-care is part of your training Chief what-ever- you-are?"

"I can help Hrim," Felosial offered. "I'm sure I had enough practice when I was a younger elf babysitting so I could get enough money to pay for my wizardry lessons."

"I like playing games with kids," Eldon added. "And I'm small enough that I won't risk crushing him."

But Rurik continued teasing the bard. "So Hrimfaxi, the lone bard, finally realized she needed someone to help her."

"I didn't hire him because I needed the help," Hrimfaxi replied hotly; she was very proud of her independence from males and all other people.

"She rescued me from Mr. Kutter," Cleon suddenly broke in. He had been standing by the centaur and could see her becoming uncomfortable. Hrimfaxi, obviously a bit embarrassed, spoke to the other three in a language (elven) Cleon couldn't understand.

"You poor thing," Felosial said to Cleon after Hrimfaxi finished. Even Rurik looked a bit ashamed. Cleon, out of shock and partly because the centaur's spear weighed so much, collapsed on the ground. Large rough, hands helped him up. The dwarf was looking at him with critical gray eyes.

"You sure that taking care of him will not stop us from having a good time?" he asked, raising bushy eyebrows. "We haven't seen each other in so long and there is so much for us to do."

"The boy won't be any added trouble," Felosial said gently. "He can't be any worse then Eldon when he was his age."

"And besides," added Eldon. "You've rented the cottage for two weeks, that should be plenty of time for us to talk."

"But I'll be away for most of the time," Rurik said gruffly. "I was summoned here after all and will probably need to devote a lot of time for business." As an afterthought he added smugly. "It's probably very important if they need a Chief Cleric."

Hrimfaxi, disgusted, started walking down the road. "It's getting dark, we should be arriving at Hensville soon," she yelled over her shoulder. She took out a small portable watch -a relatively new invention- and looked at it.

"You aren't the only one who's up-to-date," Rurik said, catching up. "I'll let you know that my beard is cut in the latest fashion." He stroked his graying beard -curled, beaded and braided elaborately- proudly.

The centaur snorted contemptuously. "Yeah, right. I was just in Gerhurst -the height of fashion is found there- and I'll let you know that no one there," the bard paused, catching the pleading glance from both Felosial and Eldon. "that no one looked...um...half as up-to-date as you," she finished sulkily. While Rurik was busy being pleased with himself, Hrimfaxi caught Eldon's wink and taking her spear from Cleon slowed down until she was in the back with the halfling.

"Did you know you were being followed?" he asked her. He motioned secretively with his head in the direction where a man, camouflaged and skillfully hidden, was watching them. "He's been there for a while."

"Probably just a common road-pirate," Hrimfaxi said, but even she didn't believe it; this man was too well armored and was obviously a trained assassin to be an ordinary thief. "Should we warn the others?" She took a couple steps forward to try to get a better view. She was amazed Eldon had spotted the man; the assassin was cleverly disguised and perfectly motionless. The centaur must have been too obvious because the man suddenly leaped up and ran into the forest lining the road...and disappeared. Hrimfaxi snorted disappointedly but turned around. "Come on Eldon. At your pace we'll never catch up to Felosial and that dwarf.


	5. Chapter Five

Sorry I had to introduce the new character so fast. I'm introducing the plot kinda fast in this chapter too.

-Chapter 5:

Hrimfaxi, a large frilly apron tied around her waist, served up food for her three companions. Felosial, Eldon, and Cleon were all seated around a table in the cottage Rurik had rented, having freshly bough fish, a spiced potato salad, and the centaur's special vegetable soup. Felosial watched Cleon eat.

"Eat up," she said with a smile. "If anything's going to make you stronger it's Hrimfaxi's cooking." The boy could already tell that the centaur and elf wizard -even though they were so different- were best friends. The only similarities Cleon could find in them was their pointed ears, but even those were slightly different for the elf's ears had a pair of simple -but beautiful- jewels sparkling in her lobes while Hrimfaxi had thick gold hoops dangling all the way up both ears.

"The fish is delicious," he said. "May I have some more soup please?"

"You can have as much as you want," Hrimfaxi said with unusual gentleness.

"I see the boy has manners," Felosial commented.

"That's all he has," the centaur muttered. "The only thing decent that Kutter guy taught him."

"Well kid," Eldon -who was propped up in his chair so he could see over the table- said. "Make sure you never forget to be polite. I never got a real education until Rurik took me in, but many a time when I was in trouble with city guards I was able to escape jail by good manners."

"You're hardly one to give advice," Hrimfaxi said. "But speaking of education, it turns out the innkeeper I was telling you about forgot the part in Cleon's contract that says he needs to provide a proper schooling. I bought some books, but I'm not very patient with foals...er, kids. So I was wondering if you, Felosial, might teach the boy."

"Of course," Felosial agreed. "What have you learned?" she asked Cleon.

"I know how to count, do addition...and a little bit of my alphabet."

"But do you know how to multiply or read or write?" When Cleon shook his head 'no', Felosial said "Oh dear" so gravely that it frightened Cleon.

"Don't scare the boy, Felosial," Hrimfaxi said. "Not everyone is as smart as you; but the boy is still young and I'm sure that with you teaching him he'll be caught up enough that by the time he's done his indenture he can start to learn a trade." The centaur, done serving, pushed two chairs together so she could rest all four of her feet.

Eldon, finished eating already turned and asked Cleon, "Want to see a trick?" Hrimfaxi groaned but Cleon nodded. Eldon -out of one of his many pockets- took a copper coin that was dented and dirty. Hopping off his chair he went over to Cleon and showed him the copper piece. Then Cleon blinked and Eldon was standing there empty-handed. He blinked again and the halfling -grinning widely- was holding the coin -now new and clean- in his other hand.

"How'd you do that?" Cleon gasped in surprise.

"Magic," the halfling answered with a wink.

"Don't believe that," Hrimfaxi told the boy. "It's just an old rogue trick. If you want to see real magic look at what years of training have taught Felosial."

The elven wizard smiled and clapped her hands obligingly. Immediately she was surrounded by a sphere of pure white light. Lightning sparked from her hands and filled her glossy black hair; little bubbles of color spun crazy circles around her head and slender waist. She clapped her hands again and the magic vanished.

"Now that's real magic!" Hrimfaxi said admiringly.

"But watch this," Eldon said and in seconds had a piece of cloth from Cleon's pocket dangling from his fingers.

"Hey!!!"

"Didn't feel a thing, huh? Pretty impressive?" Eldon asked, grinning. He tossed the silken and embroidered cloth in the air and caught it deftly, studying it along the way. Hrimfaxi was watching it too. "That's looks expensive." Eldon tossed it up again but this time the centaur intercepted it and scanned the heavy material. It was a large square piece, torn and ripped on two edges. "This looks like the edge of a coat of arms," she said, referring to the decorated shields that belonged and identified different families and their lands. "But it's only a small part so I can't tell which badge it is." She stopped and looked at Cleon. "Where did you get this? Did you steal it...did Eldon...?" The halfling held up his hands innocently.

"It's mine, Cleon said quickly "they found it in my hands when I was found on the midwife's steps. I was about two then and was under some sleeping drug."

"I'm surprised Mr. Kutter didn't take it from you," Eldon said.

"The midwife told Mr. Kutter that it was bad luck. I kept it because I like to think it belong to wherever I came from."

"Well, you might not just be a poor woman's boy after all," said Hrimfaxi softly. "If this came from your home, then you came from a pretty wealthy family."

"I don't feel any bad magic about it," Felosial said, cupping it in her hands.

"I think I should keep this," Hrimfaxi said. "If this is the key to your true home then you don't want to lose this." Felosial saw Cleon's face drop and turned to the centaur.

"Let the boy keep it."

Hrimfaxi hesitated before relenting. "Keep it safe," she ordered. "So that another thief won't pull that trick."

"Thank you!" Cleon said gratefully and politely.

The door to the cottage opened and Rurik stomped in. He took off his cloak and threw it in the closet before going over to the table and sitting down. Hrimfaxi, after setting down a food-laden, went over to the closet.

"Hey!" said the dwarf taking a sip of his soup. "This soup has gone cold!"

"It wouldn't be if you had gotten back from your meeting earlier." Hrimfaxi called back from where she was impatiently hanging up Rurik's cloak. "But I'll heat it up for you." Cleon watched the cleric eat while Hrimfaxi took the bowl back into the kitchen. Cleon himself had been very hungry but the young boy had never seen anyone eat so much so quickly. The dwarf devoured fish, salad, and bread alike. He only stopped when he nearly chocked on the liquid in his mug.

"What's this?" he asked, looking into his cup. "Where the ale?"

"I'm not going to have that drink in a house with a young boy and a thief." Hrimfaxi replied.

"Just because you don't like a good drink doesn't mean I can't have some."

Hrimfaxi, banging pots and pans angrily, answered. "The Medical Guild just announced research that shows too much ale can be bad for your health."

"I'm a dwarf," the dwarf replied, uncorking a flask by his belt and taking a sip. "I was raised on ale." He watched Hrimfaxi heating up his soup on a small burner. "What's that new-fangled invention you're using?"

"It's a burner," the centaur replied. "It runs on lantern oil and you can control the temperature. It's also very efficient."

Rurik snorted and muttered while gulping down more ale. "That's probably why my soup got cold so fast. Nothing can beat a good fire."

"How did your meeting with the King go?" Felosial asked, trying to divert the conversation.

"You got to meet the King?" Cleon asked, awed.

"You'd be surprised at how many royal persons I've had audiences with."

"I'd hardly call Lord Swill and king," Hrimfaxi said contemptuously as she brought back Rurik's soup. "The only place -now that the little prince is gone- the only real place he rules is this town; these surrounding lands are only his in name. I'm sure he's aware that he doesn't have enough soldiers to quell the rebellions starting in those cities."

"Is Lord Swill a bad king?" Cleon asked.

"A bit extravagant in spending," she said. "But the reason the Lords of the land won't pledge their allegiance is because they suspect him of killing the little prince...who they already pledged their allegiance to though he was only a young child."

"But nothing's ever been proven," Eldon cut in.

"The only one who could prove if he is innocent or not was the Captain of Calvary -who was the prince's steward and bodyguard- and he also disappeared. That seems very suspicious to me."

"What did the king tell you?" Felosial asked.

"It wasn't what I expected," Rurik said after taking several spoonfuls of soup. "It started with the usual formalities, bowing, offering of a drink, which -by the way- was not like this stuff you tried to give me..."

"Water?"

"...but after that we got down to business and he told me that the real reason he had asked for a cleric to come down was one of his manservants had gotten sick and none of his healers could diagnose the disease. He was afraid it was a new one and would start an epidemic. But the man had gotten well one day before we arrived. But of course I offered to do anything else needed and my lord said something had arisen. He seemed like a nice guy; dressed in all sorts of finery." Rurik paused to take a sip of ale. "Now it's kinda funny you should mention the little prince because he told me -in perfectly clandestine conditions- that some orcs had been blackmailing him, telling him that they had little prince and were demanding a ransom. Lord Swill swore innocence to me of the disappearance of the boy and said he had been receiving these letters for years, telling him to leave the money in a certain place...of course he never did it -can't trust orcs- and the letters kept on coming. But finally he has traced their blackmail letters to the source and it leads to an orc tribe on the outskirts of town. He said if I agreed to do this I would need to bring you guys along because it's a rather large tribe."

"He knows we are here?" Eldon asked, startled.

"Don't worry," said Rurik with a chuckle. "He doesn't know about your prison record and I doubt he'd care since he's hiring us to rescue the prince. Just think of it," Rurik continued, louder this time. "We have the chance to save these lands! Once we find this prince the barons of the land will pledge their allegiance, the rebellions will stop, and we will have united a whole kingdom!" Rurik stopped while regaining his breath; in his good intentions he had lost all of his gruffness. "Maybe Moradin had a part in this and this is my chance to serve his goodness." Hrimfaxi -who had no need of religion- snorted.

"Well...I'll come along," Felosial said.

"These orcs might have a bit of treasure," Eldon added.

Hrimfaxi was the only one who protested. "We were supposed to be here to talk and catch up on news! Not to go off and hunt orcs!"

"You're no fun anymore, Hrim," Rurik said disappointedly. "We used to do this all the time."

"I know," she replied. "But we're here on a break from work."

"Come on, Hrim," Felosial said. "It'll be just like old times." She could see the centaur weakening.

"What about the boy?" Hrimfaxi asked.

"What about the boy?" Eldon replied. "I was his age when you took me into that giant's lair...let him come along."

"Fine," the centaur said, giving in.


	6. Chapter Six

-Chapter Six:  
  
The group left early in the morning; Rurik leading the way -clad in large metal plates decorated with the emblem of Moradin and wearing a spike helmet over his recently re-done hair- brandishing a large war hammer. Felosial came next, dressed in her Wizard Guild robes and in her belt was tucked a rapier and many scrolls; a mahogany wand was in her hand. Eldon was beside her and still wore his vest of pockets -which bulged even more with hidden rogue tools- but was all dressed in black for added camouflage. Finally Hrimfaxi came last with Cleon by her side. Hrimfaxi wore her shoulder pads and leather bands; she had also braided her mane and tail so it would stay out of her way. She hefted her spear and shield.

"Now make sure you stay close to us," Felosial was telling Cleon. "And if we meet the orcs stay out in a safe place."

"Stop worrying over the colt," Hrimfaxi told the elf. "If he's gonna be helping me he'll have to get used to battle. Cleon, just stay by mew and I'll take care of you."

Eldon held the map and was leading to the orc den while Felosial read off the king's instructions.

"The boy has nothing to worry about," Rurik said, limbering his arms and fingers. "Orcs sleep all day, we'll surprise them."

"The instructions say that we're to rescue the prince, perhaps we can find him without having to kill them."

"Perhaps," Eldon said in answer to Felosial. "But orcs aren't that idiotic and there'll might be a few sentries to pick off."

Cleon looked at the eagerness in the halfling's pointy face. "You guys actually like doing this?" he asked Hrimfaxi.

"It's what we were trained to do," she answered. "And yes, we like doing this."

"You like killing?" He asked this softly. The centaur looked down at the boy.

"Of course we don't like killing. We're used to it, I suppose. But Rurik likes doing this because he know he's getting rid of some evil and hopefully gaining some favor from that god he serves. Felosial does this to test and improve her magic while Eldon looks at every challenge as one he has to solve; he likes the excitement."

"Don't you get nervous?"

"Why? Are you?" Cleon didn't answer but Hrimfaxi continued. "No. As Rurik said the orcs will be sleeping -their nocturnal you know- , not expecting us and we're a well-trained group -much better trained then any army soldier- which is probably why Lord Swill hired us instead of sending his own troops. Besides, I wouldn't take you here if I thought there was that much danger. I want you to experience battle, not die in it."

They walked through the town, past manor houses, the market place, and Lord Swill's own tower palace. The farther they went from the city, the thicker the forest became; perfect orc habitat. It was a long walk.

'Why are we following this stream?" Rurik complained, shaking mud form the stream bank off his boots. "All these twists and turns are getting me dizzy and wouldn't it be easier if we just walked in a straight line?"

"The king said this stream leads into the orc cave," Felosial answered. "This was the stream that once made the caves that the orcs now live in."

"This trickle?" Rurik asked pointing to the little flow of water that barely made its way past leaf and mud barriers.

"Centuries ago this stream was a river," explained the wizard elf.

It was obvious to see when they had finally entered orc territory by the piles of gnawed-on bones, uprooted plants, and the abundance of garbage. The orcs took no pains for secrecy but there were several crude pit and snare traps for them to avoid. As promised there was no sign of orc activity.

"Wait here," Eldon ordered. They were at the entrance of the cave, creeping vines covering most of it. They had approached silently, Hrimfaxi making it very clear to Cleon that if he made any noise she would be very angry.

"Just think of it as training," she answered when he protested.

"But Eldon crept up to the cave entrance even more silently, his tiny feet avoiding every pile of dry leaves, brittle sticks, or sticky mud. The halfling edged up to the entrance and slipped through. There were a few moments after they lost sight of him where Cleon suddenly realized he had been holding his breath. Neither Hrimfaxi nor the others seemed worried about the seconds of silence that passed. Rurik was busy swinging his war- hammer experimentally. Finally Eldon re-appeared looking disappointed.

"I expected there would be at least some sentries to get rid of. But the coast is clear and it's quiet as if this was a home for mice instead of smelly orcs. Looks like this will be another easy mission, mates." The other four started forward. "But wait!" he called. "There's an arrow trap set off by a pressure spot right there!" He pointed to a spot right below Hrimfaxi's raised hoof. Slightly miffed, the centaur stopped and leaped over grabbing Cleon's hand and dragging him over. Rurik entere first while the centaur bard lit a torch.

"The tunnel slopes down pretty steeply," he called -his voice booming- from within the depths of the cave.

"Shut up, Rurik!" Hrimfaxi told the dwarf. "You want to wake up all the orcs? Or only the non-dead ones?" When she had the torch lit they all went inside.

The tunnel sloped down, meandering just like the stream that had made it. Water still trickled down the side, forming stalagmites where it reached the floor, dried, and deposited mineral sediment eroded from the walls. They continued down, steps muffled on the hard-packed dirt floor. There were several tunnels that lead to roomy dead-ends. Several of these appeared to be sleeping areas -with blankets, pillows, and utensils thrown around- but the rooms were empty.

"I don't like this," Hrimfaxi said, rubbing her spear nervously.

"I'm sure they came back from a hunt all riled up, got drunk, started fighting and knocked each other unconscious," Rurik said with a chuckle; he was the only one laughing.

"They're here," Felosial said, sending out a sensing spell. "There's a big group of them in what seems to be a big cavern." She seemed puzzled but Rurik had already gone ahead, not needing the torch Hrimfaxi held. They ran to catch up with the dwarf who was just about to turn a curve in the tunnel.

The curve led into a large, smelly cavern that was pitch black. The only sound beside Hrimfaxi's hoof scattering some gravel was the regulated sound of dripping water. The light of the torch cast flickering shadows off the cavern walls; in some places rock was peeling off where a harder layer was underneath a softer one. The torch did not give adequate lighting, but it was enough to light up forms of a band of orcs, sitting on a ledge against the cavern wall. The light barely touched them, but Cleon could still see their readied weapons -an assortment of bone clubs and crude bows- and their already donned armor. Rurik -who could see in the dark- was able to see their expectant sharp-toothed grins and glittering beady, animal eyes.

"We've been waiting for you," the chief orc said, wearing and elaborate tribal head-dress. With a yell all 20 orcs leaped down from the ledge onto the dwarf, centaur, elf and young boy.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven:  
  
20 orcs, yelling war cries, ambushed the 5 adventurers.  
  
The first blow given by an orc hit Felosial squarely in the head and she immediately fell to the floor.  
  
Reactions from Hrimfaxi and Rurik were immediate. The centaur grabbed Cleon by the collar and threw him against the wall, behind Felosial's limp body and then placed herself between the orcs and the boy. Her large body shielded the fallen elf and the cowering boy.  
  
An eager orc, coming too close, had Hrimfaxi's spear thrust through his grimy leather armor. Whipping her spear out just as fast, the bard swung around so that the butt end of the spear hit another orc in the head.  
  
Cleon was fairly paralyzed with fear...and pain. For when Hrimfaxi had thrown him his back had hit the wall...quite hard. He was unable to move; Felosial's body had fallen on him. All he could see was the four large hooves of Hrimfaxi striking out quickly against other hairy and barefooted feet belonging to the orcs.  
  
Cleon was happy when Eldon joined him. Dodging orcs, tumbling between legs and rock formations, the halfling ran through the fight slicing with tiny daggers when he could. With a final leap he flipped over Hrimfaxi and landed nimbly beside Cleon.  
  
"Having fun yet, kid?" he asked dryly, unslinging his crossbow.  
  
"No-o," Cleon replied through teeth that threatened to chatter.  
  
"Don't worry," Eldon said as he sent an arrow into a nearby orc. "These numbskull primates don't stand a chance."  
  
"What about Felosial?"  
  
"Is she still breathing?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then she'll be fine," the halfling answered cheerfully, loading another bolt.  
  
"MORADIN!" yelled Rurik. His hammer glowing with the blessing of his god, he preferred aggressiveness to skill in combat. Swinging in circles, his hammer contacted any orc skull that ventured into the reach of his arm. The bone clubs and maces banged against the dwarf's armor, but the jarring blows only served to send the battle-raged cleric wheeling into other parts of the frey deal more damage.  
  
Hrimfaxi was getting pressed hard. Her large body was an easy target and it seemed that as soon as she bashed one orc away with her shield another was ready to stab her. Eldon was helping, sending devastatingly accurate bolts into nearby orcs, but they were whizzing dangerously close to Hrimfaxi, and though the centaur knew that Eldon was always precise they did serve as a distraction.  
  
One arrow flew right by her head, piercing the dented helmet of an orc right beside her. The skittish instincts of the horse caused Hrimfaxi to back up, startled, right into an equally startled orc. The orc was lucky enough to have his mace before him that scratched Hrimfaxi across her back. The orc was unlucky enough to have his legs crushed by the centaur's newly sharpened horseshoes.  
  
"You can stop firing so close to me, Eldon!" the bard yelled across to the halfling.  
  
"Just trying to help!"  
  
"Well you're not!" Hrimfaxi tried to wade through the orcs, back to her position in front of her servant and the rogue. With sweeping motions she cleared the area around her of orcs...only to have Rurik, moving in dizzyingly -and dangerous- circles, right by her, unaware that his warhammer nearly smashed her arm.  
  
"Watch where you're swinging that thing!" she snapped.  
  
"Get out of the way then!" replied the dwarf, crushing several orcs in a row and getting bashed on the head. Seemingly unaware of this injury he turned around.  
  
"We're supposed to be working as a team here!" shouted Eldon to both of them.  
  
"Then tell the dwarf to learn how to use that thing he's swinging around!"  
  
"You learn to move that horse body of yours!"  
  
To Cleon this seemed the end of the battle when the two companions starting arguing with each other. But Eldon seemed calm; for the halfling knew that this argument only served to strengthen the cleric and bard. Filled with anger at each other the centaur and dwarf would take their hate out on the orcs around them.  
  
It seemed to work...only Hrimfaxi was surrounded, Rurik's helmet bashed over his eyes, and Eldon out of bolts to fire. It seemed bleak.  
  
Then Cleon pushed Felosial off his legs. Not only was she cutting off his circulation, but he had decided he wanted to attempt to run off and couldn't do it with an elf on top of him. But as he did so the elf woke again, rubbing her head, her glossy hair slightly damp from water from the cave floor and blood from a lump on her head.  
  
"Nice of you to join us," Eldon said, throwing away his empty crossbow casually and gripping his daggers. "It's your turn to save the day. Care to help?"  
  
Cupping her hands together at the wrist she spoke some words and bright light filled them like water filled a cup. Soon the light bubbled and overflowed, filling the cave around them with brightness.  
  
This finished the orcs. The glow streaming from Felosial's hands was too much for their nocturnal eyes. In disbelief they were forced to drop their weapons to shield their beady eyes from the painful light, that was much stronger then the sunlight they were forced to flee from.  
  
It was easy for Hrimfaxi and Rurik, whose eyes were not affected by the brightness, to finish the blinded orcs off. 


	8. Chapter Eight

-To Poinard: your last review was the best compliment i could've recieved (hugs) There aren't enough centaur stories...

-To Tom Valor: I'm feel so special that you reviewed my story when i totally love your Fear of Death fic. I love paladins and you have to update that story...

-Chapter Eight:  
  
Hrimfaxi, the centaur bard, trotted around the bodies of the orcs lying on the cavern floor where they had fallen after being struck down. Obviously the bard was upset by the mass blood they had shed.  
  
"Felosial," she said. "Why don't you take Cleon out of here. He doesn't need to see this."  
  
The elf took the young boy's hand and led him out.  
  
"By Moradin they deserved it," muttered Rurik, kicking a dead body contemptuously with his boot.  
  
"How can you stand to do that?" Hrimfaxi asked Eldon who was rummaging through an orc's vest.  
  
"Don't you think it is kinda odd that the orcs were ready...and waiting for us? I'm looking for clues...and the random gold coin."  
  
"You're wasting your time," snapped the centaur. "They must have heard the dwarf as soon as we came in. The way he was shouting could've raised all these guys...dead as they are."  
  
"A well-trained army regiment -let alone a bunch of idiot orcs- wouldn't have been able to get into full armor, battle gear, and formation in only fifteen minutes," said the halfling, looking up with raised eyebrows. "I think they were expecting us."  
  
Hrimfaxi flicked her tail uncertainly.  
  
"Can you help me find the body of the chieftain? If I can find any clues it will be on his body."  
  
"He's over there...right where I killed him," the centaur said obligingly, pointing to a corner.  
  
"I beg to differ," said Rurik. "I was the one who killed him."  
  
"You can stop arguing," broke in the halfling. "For it was I who killed him." He pulled a crossbow bolt out of the dead chieftain's head.  
  
Hrimfaxi ignored the comment and walked over to where Rurik was kneeling, burning incense and praying. "Must you burn that stuff?" she asked, snorting. "It smells terrible."  
  
"Live with it," answered the kneeling dwarf, raising his bowed head. "If you want me to heal that wound on your back I need to meditate."  
  
"Well hurry up. We still need to find the prince and tell the king he won't have to worry about this orc tribe anymore."  
  
"We don't have to do that," broke in Eldon. "At least not anymore."  
  
Something in his voice got the attention of both centaur and dwarf. "What is it?"  
  
"Let's go to Cleon and Felosial. I'll show you what I found when we're all together."  
  
All three adventures waded through the battlefield. They found Felosial and Cleon right around the corner, the elven wizard amusing the boy with little feats of magic.  
  
"Eldon has something to show us," said Hrimfaxi.  
  
Immediately Felosial stopped and turned to the halfling...though he was ages younger than the rest of the adventurers they had all learned to trust him. He never made a big deal about anything, and so if he thought this was important it undoubtedly was. The rogue took out a purple velvet bag and a piece of parchment from his vest.  
  
"I found these in the pocket of the orc chieftain," he explained. He unfolded the parchment. "This piece of paper is a letter and it reads:  
  
-**To Juvil the Head-Basher, leader of the Hollow-Oak Orc Tribe:  
  
As bargained, there is a group of five adventurers coming on the morrow: a centaur, dwarf, elf, halfling, and young boy. Be careful of the centaur and elf, the elf knows magic. The dwarf should be easy to kill and serves Moradin...the enemy of your own god. The dwarf carries valuable armor and weaponry on him. The halfling, too, should be easy to kill, but he is small and watch out for him, he is trained in the arts of stealth. Kill them all, except for the young boy. Take him prisoner and bring him to me. I want him unharmed, well-fed, and alert when brought to the tower. Two of my patrol will be waiting by the large oak for the boy, they will take him to the tower. They will also have part of your reward. The other half is in the attached bag.  
  
-From King Swill, Lord of the Tower**  
  
At first there was only silence. The halfling folded the paper again and placed it back into one of his vest pockets.  
  
"What!" sputtered Rurik. He seemed so upset that he was speechless.  
  
"I know!" gasped Felosial. "This was all a trap!"  
  
"I can't believe it!" shouted the dwarf.  
  
"The King had this all set up, knowing we were coming!" said Hrimfaxi, dangerously calm.  
  
"How could he!" continued the dwarf.  
  
"But his plan failed," said Eldon.  
  
"He said I would be easy to kill!" growled the dwarf angrily. "He...had...the...nerve...to...under...estimate...a...cleric...of...Moradin...and...think...that...a...bun ch...of...damn...orcs...would...be...able...to...kill...me!"  
  
"Rurik!" gasped Felosial. She clapped her hands over Cleon's ears just in case Rurik took another angry spell where he could and would say anything.  
  
"But why would Swill want us killed?" asked Hrimfaxi, she was sometimes a little slow on digesting new information. But once it was digested it stayed with her for a long time.  
  
"That...damn...king-"  
  
"Well, it sounds like in the letter, that he wanted Cleon," Eldon explained, making sure that Felosial's hands were tight enough over the boy's ears that he couldn't hear any of this.  
  
"Paying...those...damn...orcs-"  
  
"But how did he know that we had Cleon?"  
  
"Damn...orcs-"  
  
"Remember that man who we saw spying on us on the way here?"  
  
"With...their...damn...crappy...weapons-"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Thinking...that...they...could...kick...our...asses-"  
  
"I bet he was working for Swill, and saw Cleon with you, and warned the King."  
  
"Damn...king...with...his...damn...money-"  
  
"But why would Swill want Cleon?"  
  
"Damn...money...for...the...damn...orcs-"  
  
Eldon paused for a moment. "I don't know, was his final answer."  
  
Hrimfaxi too, was silent.  
  
"Damn...dead...orcs-"  
  
"Rurik!" cried Felosial, distressed. "Stop talking...we have a young boy here!" Rurik took another deep breath. "If you don't," she threatened. "I'll have to put a silence spell on you!"  
  
This stopped Rurik from talking, but he glared darkly at everything and even kicked his helmet across the cavern floor. "I think we should go and kill that da-..uh...king."  
  
For once Hrimfaxi agreed with the dwarf. "I don't care right now why he tried to kill us...all that matters right now, is that he tried, and I say we go and show him that his plan didn't work."  
  
"Let's not be hasty," begged Felosial. She turned to Eldon for help. "Do you think the little prince is here after all?"  
  
"I bet that was just a lie from the king, a lie that would get us to come here. But," Eldon continued, "Let's search the cave anyway. There might be treasure here." The halfling rogue turned to Hrimfaxi and Rurik, who were now joined by the same hate towards the king. "Come on." When they didn't budge he sighed. "I promise that we'll go and kill Swill. But let's do that after we search the cave. We can even go and find the guards Swill put near here...I'll let you guys question them."  
  
It was an offer the two warriors couldn't refuse and they raced after the halfling.


	9. Chapter Nine

-Chapter Nine:  
  
A centaur, dwarf, elf, halfling, and young boy wound their way through the orc tunnels that meandered like the stream that had made it. No longer did they use stealth...after a battle, quietness was not essential.  
  
"I don't see why we can't just go and confront that back-stabbing king," Rurik muttered darkly. The centaur, trotting besides the dwarf, actually agreed with him.  
  
"You never know what stuff we may find down here," answered the halfling. "I have a feeling that King Swill has been paying bribes to these orcs for a long time."  
  
"And we need a plan," added Felosial.  
  
"Why did they attack us?" Cleon asked. This was first time he had spoken since the battle with the orcs.  
  
"Because we have something they want," answered Hrimfaxi quickly. The centaur bard did not want the boy to know that he was the thing coveted.  
  
"What did they want?"  
  
"Now is not the time for questions!" snapped the centaur.  
  
Cleon looked hurt. Felosial shot a dark look at her best friend. The centaur caught the look and her temper passes.  
  
"I'm sorry Cleon," she said, looking down at the top of the boy's head. "It's just right now we need to concentrate. I really don't know why they wanted this thing and it's annoying me something awful."  
  
They continued passing rooms. Some were blackened with the smoke of cooking fires, others filled with unorganized piles of weaponry.  
  
"Trust orcs to let good armor rust," said Eldon, examining a dented and soot-stained breast-plate. "Everything in this cave is worthless...nothing valuable at all."  
  
"And don't try the food in that other cave either," Rurik said while entering.  
  
"You didn't!" Felosial gasped while the dwarf licked his fingers.  
  
The dwarf didn't answer, just wiped something from his beard.  
  
"Are we done looking yet?" Hrimfaxi asked, flicking her tail impatiently as she tossed aside a beat-up shield.  
  
"Hold your horses," Eldon said, jogging over to the entrance and staring down the long cavern hall.  
  
"Are you implying something? 'Cuz I'm not a horse!"  
  
"No...what I'm trying to say is that there is only one more room left to explore."  
  
"Well let's go!"  
  
Eagerly the centaur galloped down the tunnel, her hooves pounding a rhythmic beat.  
  
"The door's locked!" she said.  
  
"Here," said Eldon, pulling out several sized lock-picks out of various pockets. "I'll unlock it-"  
  
But the centaur, racing back to them had turned around just as speedily and driven towards the door, spear leveled. With a loud bang she reared up and thrust her two hooves against the rotting and soft wood. The wood tore apart from the hinges and the four other adventurers heard the bard gallop on through, only to hear her hooves skidding against the gravel floor in metal on rock.  
  
"The room must be smaller than she expected," Felosial said, amused.  
  
"You're lucky that the door was half rotted," remarked Rurik as he walked in. "If the door had been of dwarven make...that little stunt would have only served to dent those horseshoes you wear."  
  
"You're just jealous that you missed out because you were too busy eating."  
  
"I liked it better when they agreed," said Felosial.  
  
"Too good to last," added Eldon.  
  
"If a midget like you had tried that -even against a half-rotted door- you would only have made a hole big enough for Eldon to climb through!"  
  
"Your head is big enough to make a hole large enough for ALL of us to climb through!"  
  
"What?...who's...there?"  
  
A voice, strained and raspy, was hardly loud enough to break into Rurik and Hrimfaxi's argument. But as it was the centaur's pointed ears picked the sound up and she turned towards a older elven man, chained to the wall.  
  
"Are you friends?" It continued. Chains rustled as the elf tried to stand up. 


	10. Chapter Ten

-Chapter Ten:  
  
"Are you friends?" the voice repeated.  
  
"Depends on whether you're a friend," Hrimfaxi said, slightly nervous as she tried to get her eyes to adjust to the semi-darkness.  
  
"Are you orcs?"  
  
"No...are you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Alrighty then," broke in Rurik. "Then we can make an intelligent guess that we are both on the same side then."  
  
Hrimfaxi snorted at the pompous dwarf. Her eyes had adjusted and against the wall, chained by his wrists, was an older elven man, dressed in what looked like a tattered and dirty uniform. His slim face was gaunt...but his green eyes still held a sort of light.  
  
"Who are you?" she suddenly asked, wanting to know who this confident- looking prisoner was.  
  
"Just a poor military elf, prisoner of these orcs for eight years."  
  
"Eight years?" gasped Cleon, he with Felosial and Eldon had filed in through the broken door. The small prison cell barely was able to fit all of them.  
  
"More or less. I kind of lost track."  
  
Cleon was staring at the captive elf. Staring straight into his eyes...something Hrimfaxi had never seen the boy do. But Cleon seemed to be concentrating on some thought so hard he had forgotten to be shy.  
  
"And what are your names?" the elf asked.  
  
"Just call me Eldon your Rescuer," Eldon said as he knelt down beside the elf and took out his thieves' tools. Greasing the pick heavily he thrust it into the lock and concentrated while pushing it back and forth.  
  
"I'm Hrimfaxi...and this boy is my indentured servant, Cleon."  
  
"Rurik, cleric of Moradin at your service."  
  
"Felosial."  
  
"Nice to meet all of you," the elf said a bit dryly. "My name is Relcunalyn."  
  
No one said anything as Eldon muttered to himself...spreading out more tools.  
  
Hrimfaxi turned to the halfling impatiently, "Can't you go any faster?" I don't want those guards of Swill to get suspicious...we might lose our chance to surprise them!"  
  
"Why don't you be the first bard to take a vow of silence?" Eldon spat back, calmly rattling his lock-pick. "This lock is of amazingly good make. I'd never suspect it of an orc."  
  
"Eldon's going as fast as he can," Felosial broke in before the halfing and centaur started fighting. "But Hrim's right. We need to catch those guards before they return and tell Lord Swill that something must have gone wrong."  
  
"Swill?" Relcunalyn's head jerked up.  
  
"Yeah," replied Rurik. "He's the 'king' of this city."  
  
"He's still ruling?"  
  
"Yep, and not very successfully either, has the whole village afraid of him and the nearby provinces stirring with rebellion."  
  
"I had hoped by now his reign had gone to someone else."  
  
"Who? He has no heirs and no relatives...and no one has offered to succeed him seeing how bad of condition this place is in."  
  
"Are the taxes still as bad as they were eight years ago?"  
  
"We don't know pal," Eldon said, making the last adjustments to open the lock. "We're visitors...all of us."  
  
"Then what are you doing down here?"  
  
"We were hired by Lord Swill to rescue the little prince who was supposedly kept captive down here-"  
  
"But now we find," broke in Hrimfaxi. "That it was all a plan...Lord Swill told the orcs we were coming and paid them to try and kill us!" She stamped her hoof down hard, making loose pebbles jump up from the ground momentarily.  
  
"He said the little prince was down here?" Relcunalyn asked, straightening up.  
  
"Why? Are you gonna tell us that you are the 'little prince?" asked Rurik, bursting into chuckles at his joke; he was the only one laughing.  
  
"No," said the elven prisoner. "But I used to know the little prince...so he's not dead?  
  
"According to this letter he's not," Eldon said, pausing in his work to show the elf the king's letter to the orcs. "It came with this bag of gold in it; a bribe from the king."  
  
"Hey!" Rurik broke in. "How come you didn't tell us that you had found some gold?"  
  
Eldon gave a good-natured shrug.  
  
"But I bet telling us the little prince was alive was only to get us to come down here. The boy's probably dead."  
  
Relcunalyn scanned the paper with intent emerald eyes. He looked up at Cleon. "It says here that Lord Swill wanted the orcs to take the boy-"  
  
"-to take all the valuables we had straight to him." Felosial broke in desperately.  
  
Relcunalyn caught on. "Right."  
  
Cleon's eyes shifted from the two elves. Hrimfaxi wondered nervously if the boy might be more intelligent than he looked.  
  
"Here, foal," she suddenly ordered. "Take my spear and clean it." She tossed the large wooden -and bloody- pole to him.  
  
"But you're gonna use it soon...against those guards...right?" he protested. "Why should I clean it now when it'll just get dirty again?"  
  
"Don't back talk!" the centaur snapped. "And go outside to do it!"


	11. Chapter Eleven

-To Tom Valor and Andie Firehawk: The plot is pretty obvious huh? Yeah...hard to make it unpredictable...hope people still find my 'original' plot interesting

-To HelenOfTroy: glad u like Eldon

-Chapter Eleven:  
  
Cleon leaned his back against the cave wall, right outside the orc prison cell. He listened to the voices that drifted through the cracks in the broken-down door as he rubbed a cleaning rag over Hrimfaxi's spear. His back still hurt from the previous battle and he wished that he were somewhere else...anywhere else.  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
Inside the prison cell Eldon was making the last adjustments on the locks that pinned Relcunalyn's wrists to the wall. Furrowing his brows together in that Hrimfaxi had never seen the easy-going halfling spend on anything else...he twisted his wire lock-pick skillfully. There was an audible 'click' as the clasp popped open and the chain running through it dropped to the ground, freeing the elf prisoner's hands.  
  
"Thanks," Relcunalyn said. Moving his arms stiffly he bent them back and forth and wiggled his fingers.  
  
"No prob...after eight years that must feel pretty good."  
  
"Well, every week the orcs let me loose for a little while. Sometimes to do a menial chore or other times they had orders to question me."  
  
"Orders?" Hrimfaxi asked. "From who?"  
  
"Lord Swill," the elf said, standing up. "He was the one who put me here."  
  
"Really?" Felosial asked, a worry crease appearing on her white brow.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"We really don't have time for this!" Hrimfaxi said. "And," she continued, lowering her voice, leaning down, and taking a step forward. "I don't want Cleon to overhear anything concerning him. This has been a traumatizing enough day already."  
  
"Hrim...calm down!" Eldon said. "We have plenty of time and...personally Cleon is a good boy, but he's not the brightest, he won't suspect anything."  
  
"But those guards are gonna get suspicious!"  
  
"I think Hrimfaxi may be right," Relcunalyn broke in. "And...I was wondering. I have something to 'tell' Lord Swill. Could I come with you?"  
  
"No offense," Rurik said, clearing his throat officiously. "But what we do requires plenty of training."  
  
"Yes, you guys must be pretty well trained if you killed the whole orc tribe."  
  
"Well, me and the elf are," broke in the centaur. "I don't know about the dwarf and thief."  
  
"But...as I was saying. I've had quite a bit of combat training. I may be a little rusty but eight years hasn't taken away all my skill."  
  
Rurik didn't look convinced.  
  
'See this uniform!" Relucunalyn said, standing straight up and pointing at his torn and dirty clothes. "This is the uniform of the Captain of the Calvary. I used to be that for Lord Swill until he had me thrown in here. And believe me, I was well-respected."  
  
"Why did he have you thrown in here?" Felosial's voice went up an octave out of concern.  
  
'We don't have time for this!" Hrimfax broke in again, rearing up and flicking her tail so that it lashed Eldon in the face.  
  
"I agree!" shouted Rurik rushing towards the door, nearly getting smashed by the centaur lowering her front legs.  
  
The two hot-heads rushed out of the cell, Hrimfaxi having to jump over Cleon who was leaning against the door. Rurik, who couldn't jump over the boy, was forced to shove him out of the way.  
  
"Foal!" Hrimfaxi ordered dancing on her hooves out of excitement. "Get a sword for Rel. We're gonna hunt orc-lovers!"  
  
Cleon scrambled up and raced towards the room that was full of cast- off weaponry. He emerged later with a long-sword. The leather binding was peeling off from the handle...but it was one of the few swords that didn't have its blade bent or dented. Relcunalyn along with Felosial and Eldon came out and Cleon gave the sword to the elf.  
  
"You have a good eye for weaponry," he commented to the boy, testing the balance. Now that the elf captain had come out into better light, you could see dirty badges and chipped metal medals still handing by threads from his uniform. And with a sword in his hand he looked more complete and much more like a captain.  
  
Once again Hrimfaxi found Cleon looking at Relcunalyn with unabashed curiosity. Maybe the boy –an insecure orphan- was attracted to this confident leader? The elf was getting on in years...his hair was silvery wisps and there were lines on his slanted face...but he was definitely anyone could recognize as a leader.  
  
"So what's our plan?" the elf captain.  
  
"We're gonna find those guards and Eldon already promised that Hrim and I get to question them!" Rurik answered eagerly, loosing his hammer-arm in preparation.  
  
"The letter says that the guards were supposed to wait out by a large oak for the orcs to bring our 'valuables'," here Eldon winked. "To them. Which in turn, I guess, would be brought to Lord Swill."  
  
"So our long-term plan will be to somehow get revenge on King Swill," Felosial explained. "But for right now all we're going to do is ambush these guards, and let Hrim and Rurik have a fun time getting them to tell us why Swill sent us here and is bribing the orcs."  
  
"Sounds like fun," Relcunalyn commented grimly.  
  
"Do we know where the large oak is?" Felosial asked.  
  
"I do," Eldon said, taking the letter out. "I guess Lord Swill knew about the mental capacity of an orc. He drew a map for the nimrods."  
  
'Great!" said Hrimfaxi, and wheeling around she galloped off into the tunnel waving her spear wildly.  
  
Rurik followed, waving his war hammer in similar style, but forced to go at a slower pace...his own dwarven shuffle.  
  
"Could those two make anymore noise?" Eldon asked, shaking his head disappointedly, listening to Hrimfaxi's own personal war cry and the sound of Rurik's armor scraping against itself.  
  
'It's possible," Felosial replied with an amused smile. "Come here Cleon," she said, taking the boy's hand. "We better hurry so that we can see Hrim scare the bad guys."  
  
"Poor bad guys," Cleon said.  
  
With that the remaining three hurried through the tunnel...soon coming out into the light of late afternoon. Eldon led them through a thick forest but the going was quick as a carpet of leaves lay on the floor, containing any undergrowth so that there was nothing to hamper them. It became obvious when they entered into a close radius of the Large Oak, by a lack of sunlight. Looking up a huge network of branches overlapped a large area...all belonging to one tall tree.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want me to go first? You guys make so much noise," Eldon remarked to Rurik and the centaur.  
  
"You promised," Hrimfaxi reminded the halfling irritably.  
  
'Fine...fine."  
  
As they drew nearer they could see the shapes of two humans, leaning against the broad trunk of the oak, their backs to them. They seemed to be talking to each other, their weapons placed on the leafy ground.


	12. Chapter Twelve

-To Tom Valor: The Lone Reviewer. Thanks for your review!

-Chapter Twelve:  
  
"Where do you think they are?" The first guard asked his partner.  
  
"How should I know?" the second guard replied sleepily.  
  
The first soldier peered around the trunk of the tree, spying into the forest.  
  
"Man," he grumbled. "I wish I had brought a torch. I can't see a damned thing."  
  
"So why didn't you?"  
  
"Because the orders from Swill made it sound like the orcs were gonna be out here before it got dark. I didn't know we were gonna be stuck in this creepy forest for this long."  
  
"Boy am I hungry."  
  
"Shut up...I think I hear something!"  
  
"Why don't we go back to the castle," the second soldier mumbled on. "If we hurry we could get back in time for supper. Tonight was gonna be roast beef and Bruce said he stole a bottle of wine from the cook...he might share."  
  
"Shut up! I can definitely hear something!"  
  
"Hopefully it's those orcs," he said while yawning. "Though I don't like the idea of meeting them here. You can't trust an orc. What is Lord Swill doing communicating with them anyway?"  
  
"I don't know," the first guard replied. "But it's not in our place to question Lord Swill. We just follow orders and his orders told us to wait here until those orcs came."  
  
"But what if they don't come. I don't want to spend the night here!"  
  
"Then you go back and get half rations for a week because you deserted your post."  
  
"Well...we might as well take turns keeping watch. I think I might take a nap now."  
  
"And what am I supposed to do?"  
  
"Why, it's obvious. You keep watch and then when I'm done with my nap you can get a turn to sleep."  
  
"Sure. Just wake up the whole forest with you snores."  
  
The second soldier didn't reply, just leaned against the tree and took his helmet off. His partner scoffed at him but continued to scan the forest, but the sun was setting and the trees blocked most of the light trying to come through. Finally he too sat down.  
  
Suddenly a group of birds, disturbed, rose in a flock from a nearby section of the forest. Following this there was a crash of branches and the sound of undergrowth being trampled. Breaking through a wall of foliage suddenly charged a large centaur. Leaping over fallen logs she left great ruts in the ground where her hooves had dug through the dead leaves.  
  
The two guards didn't have time to even lift their spears before the centaur had moved in front of them, reared up, and then come crashing down again with her own spear, a collection of feathers tied around the head, pointed at the first one's throat.  
  
"Don't move," she ordered with a low, nasal, voice.  
  
She glared at them, looking down her long horse-ish face. She kept this up for a long time until it began to get awkward. Then she sighed and turned around, calling impatiently into the forest.  
  
"Rurik...where are you?"  
  
"I'm coming...I'm coming," came the dwarf's reply. He suddenly appeared, detaching several leaves that had gotten caught on the spike on top of his helmet. "I would have gotten here faster if I didn't have to go around those craters you made in the dirt."  
  
"You would have gotten here faster if you had started running when I did."  
  
"Well excuse me for not knowing that we were going on 'one'. I thought we were gonna start running on 'zero'.  
  
"You have no right to do this!" The guard –the one with Hrimfaxi's spear at his throat- broke in. His voice trembled. "We're part of His Grace's Army and anything you do to us is an offense to the crown."  
  
"Like I care," Rurik said. He chuckled and hefted his hammer, making several mock swings at the second, cowering, soldier. "And don't you try anything."  
  
"What are you going to do to us?" The second one asked.  
  
"Well...we might have to kill you," said Hrimfaxi casually. "But if you tell us why you were waiting here for the orcs we might not have to do that."  
  
"It was on Lord Swill's orders!" The first soldier answered quickly.  
  
The centaur rolled her eyes.  
  
"You're even stupider than those orcs we just killed...wiped out their whole tribe," bragged Rurik. "How about telling us why Lord Swill wanted to meet these orcs?"  
  
The guards meet each other's eyes but remained silent.  
  
"Talk!" commanded Hrimfaxi, dancing on her hooves, very nearly stepping on the captive guard.  
  
But they remained silent.  
  
"How are things going?" came Eldon's drawl.  
  
"Just fine," sniffed Hrimfaxi.  
  
The halfling, Felosial, Cleon and the elf captain stepped out into the clearing surrounding the big oak. As the elf captain came closer to them the two soldiers looked at him like they had seen a ghost.  
  
"Captain...Captain Relcunalyn..." they stammered.  
  
"Bruce? Eben?" the elf captain asked.  
  
Bruce, the first guard, saluted clumsily.  
  
"What are you two doing here?"  
  
"We were demoted to privates after you were arrested, sir," Bruce explained. "We knew something was wrong, and they came to question us if we knew anything about what you had been doing those past few months. We wouldn't tell them anything, sir," he continued, babbling. "But then they took you away and they told everybody that you had been arrested because of treason. We didn't believe it...did we Eben? No we didn't sir, and we tried to find out where they had taken you...but someone found out and we were demoted..."  
  
Relcunalyn held up a hand to silence the soldier.  
  
"You know these two?" Felosial asked.  
  
"Yes, they were in my corp when I was still captain."  
  
"Have you been released then...pardoned?" Eben asked hopefully.  
  
He stopped talking as Hrimfaxi's spear jabbed him in the chest.  
  
"You can only speak when we say you can!" she told him.  
  
"Let them up," Relcunalyn said to the centaur. "I trust them."  
  
Reluctantly the centaur backed away and the two guards stumbled up, grabbed their own weapons and saluted the elf correctly.  
  
"No, the king didn't pardon me," He told the soldiers. "I escaped. I committed no treason...I was falsely accused and given to the orc tribe as prisoner."  
  
"Now how about you tell us what Lord Swill wanted," Rurik said.  
  
"Yes, sir," Eben said, turning to dwarf as if reporting. "We were sent here to meet the orcs. They were going to bring a young boy with them who we were supposed to take prisoner and bring to him."  
  
"Did he want this boy?" Hrimfaxi asked, pushing Cleon forward.  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Bruce replied. "Fit's the description: Blond hair, blue eyes, about ten years old but runty."  
  
"Why does Lord Swill want him?" Eldon asked.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Perhaps he committed a crime?" Eben offered.  
  
"No...he lived in Hali before I bought his indenture. He's never traveled so there's no way he could have offended the king in Hensville."  
  
"Did you say you got him in Hali?" Relcunalyn asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And recently?"  
  
"Yeah...not two weeks ago. Why?"  
  
"You mean you just got him?"  
  
"I told you that already! You think I need help to do my job? No! I just bought his service because I pitied him."  
  
Cleon's shoulder drooped a little. He looked up at the elf captain and his eyes then shifted to the centaur.  
  
"And you've been a big help," Felosial said, sensing the boy's disappointment. "Hasn't he Hrim?"  
  
"Of course," Hrimfaxi said, on cue, but honestly enough. "He's not like those other rowdy human foals I see...and he know's what he's doing."  
  
"I think I might know why Lord Swill wants him then," Relucunalyn said, kneeling down and staring straight at the boy. "Tell me your life story, Cleon," he asked.  
  
"I don't remember much," the boy mumbled. "The first thing I remember was living with Nana, she took care of me and a lot of other orphans."  
  
"Was she a mid-wife?"  
  
"She helped women with their babies."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"But then she died, and me and the other children were sold. Some of my friends were sent to houses...adopted I think. But I was sold with some others at an auction. There were a lot of people and they kept on yelling and shouting out prices. Finally I was taken off the stage and brought home by Mr. Kutter. He said he owned me now and that I would have to do chores if I wanted to eat. He called me stupid."  
  
Relcunalyn listened intently to the child's rambling.  
  
"And sometimes he hit me...and then one day I went out to search for a lost cow that had gotten out of Mr. Kutter's pasture...it wasn't my fault but he said I had to go get it. But while I was out there some orcs came and took me away. Then Hrimfaxi came and rescued me. And she's much nicer than Mr. Kutter. I'm glad that I live with her now."  
  
Hrimfaxi blushed suddenly at this. She patted the boy on the head with a huge, tattooed hand.  
  
"Can you help us?" Relcuanlyn asked the two guards.  
  
"At your service, sir," they both saluted.  
  
IMPORTANT!!!!!:  
  
-I made this a long chapter because I'm leaving for a trip...to S. Africa. It's for about two weeks so I won't be able to update...PUH LEASE review!!!!


	13. Chapterm Thirteen

-Thanx 4 all the luverly reviews!!! xoxoxoxo!

-Chapter Thirteen:

"Why did we have to bring them along?" Rurik asked Relcunalyn disgustedly, motioning towards Bruce and Eben. The two soldiers were out of shape and were slowing the group down as they jogged toward Lord Swill's tower.

"Because we'll need them later on." The elf captain replied, steadily jogging.

Rurik, who was also beginning to gasp for breath, was persistent still. "How can they help us?"

"They can help us get through the high security of the tower. Lord Swill has sentries station all around land...and in order to get close to the tower we'll need them."

Rurik, now unable to keep up with the elf's pace, slowly dropped back, looking darkly at the two soldiers.

But soon they stopped, for now, over the top of the trees, could be seen the pointed turret of Lord Swill's tower. It was getting dark, and the flickering light of candles, could be seen though the tower's windows.

Cleon, exhausted, flopped down on the ground. As was his habit, he pulled on Hrimfaxi's tail to get her attention.

"How many times have I told you not to do that!" Hrimfaxi said, after the boy had tugged on her braid of black hair.

"I'm tired...and hungry." He said, looking up at her through half-closed lids.

"Well find yourself some food," the centaur replied, flicking her tail so that it was out of his reach. She wandered off, muttering darkly. "My own servant asking me to fetch something for him...Hah!"

Cleon picked himself up, the pangs of hunger overcoming his tiredness. He crawled over to where Eldon and Relcunalyn were gathered, talking in the dark, not even allowing a fire in case it gave away their position. The bags were piled up near them, and Cleon stumbled over to these and began opening his own, pulling out some hard tack and an apple. Munching happily away at these he didn't even realize he was eavesdropping.

"So why were you so interested in Cleon's life story?" Eldon was asking Relcunalyn.

"Because I've figured out why Lord Swill has been searching for him. It's connected to the reason I was given over to the orcs."

"I think I know too."

CRUNCH, MUNCH, CRUNCH. Cleon couldn't hear the rest over the sound of his own chewing...breaking all the rules of proper eating Hrimfaxi had taught him. But he couldn't help it. He was hungry and the apple tasted good. He swallowed.

"Big coincidence, huh?"

"Something only the bards sing about...never imagined it could really happen...but here we are."

"Should we tell the others?"

"Not Hrimfaxi...she can't keep a secret."

"Felosial?"

"No...she doesn't want to know anything that she can't tell her best friend."

"Rurik?"

"No...we don't even need a reason."

Cleon didn't hear the rest because he was slowly falling asleep, using one of the packs for a pillow. He slept deeply through the night, deaf to the calls of the woodland creatures, and immune to the chilly wind that blew.

But because of the lumpy pack Cleon woke up with a stiff neck and his legs were sore from yesterday's running and chilled from the cold night. He pushed himself up, and in the early morning light tried to locate Hrimfaxi.

He found the centaur curled up on the base of a tree, her legs folded under her and head dropping in sleep. Beads of dew covered her furry chestnut sides, and she had even forgotten to re-braid her mane...stray curls of black frizzed in a cloud around her neck.

Her tail still had leaves stuck in it. He grabbed the end and tugged lightly.

Hrimfaxi's head bobbed a little, but she didn't wake up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Eldon said in passing. He shoved the two guards –snoring against a tree- awake. "Hrim can be real mean. Let me show you how to wake her."

Eldon located a large branch. Motioning Cleon behind him he whacked Hrimfaxi in the back with the branch. Immediately the centaur's light snores were interrupted and she leaped to her feet, eyes still blurry with sleep.

"What? Who?" She asked, disoriented. Then she spotted Eldon with the branch still in his hand. The halfling took off before Hrim could react.

"You." Was how she greeted Cleon. She ignored the boy while she washed her face and set out breakfast. She acknowledged him only long enough to throw the boy a piece of buttered bread to eat.

"Are we all set?" Relcunalyn bellowed.

"Quiet down," said Eldon harshly. "We're all here and there's no need to yell."

"Can you tell us exactly what we are doing, captain sir?" Bruce asked.

"Yes. Our plan right now is for you to take us into the tower area."

"But how?" Eben asked. "There is no way the guards will let you in."

"But they will if you pretend that we are with you."

"But...but that would be going against our orders!" Both soldiers said.

"And with whom does your loyalty lie?" Relcunalyn asked. "With Lord Swill...who demoted you to privates? Or me...your captain?"

The two soldiers shuffled their feet, uncertain, not willing to look their captain in the eye. Relcunalyn's scarred but handsome face hardened. He remained silent. Finally Hrimfaxi, impatient, spoke up.

"Here...look at it this way. Who do you fear more? Lord Swill...who is in his tower. Or me and the dwarf here...who are right next to you?" Rurik made a point of grinning evilly.

Bruce and Eben saluted. "And after that, will we take you to my Lord's chamber?"

"No. We'll use the servant's passage from the kitchen to give 'Lord' Swill a surprise."

"Can we go now?" Hrimfaxi asked.

Relcunalyn drew his sword –a bit too dramatically- and marched off, the others following him.

"Here, Cleon. Wait a moment," Felosial said. Cleon halted and the elf wizard approached him. "I'm just going to do a little spell on you. Okay? It won't hurt."

Cleon didn't even ask why.

The elf wizard placed her hands on the runty boy's shoulders and after a few moments' concentration, under her hands was a young boy with black hair, brown eyes, and dark skin.

When Hrimfaxi say Cleon she whistled. "Good work, Felosial. I wouldn't have been able to tell it was him if it hadn't been for that sulky look he has in his eyes."

"I can't run anymore," Cleon complained. Hrimfaxi only snorted. "My legs are too sore."

"Fine, kid." Hrimfaxi said irritably. "Hop on my back. But the only reason I'm giving you this ride is because I don't want you to slow us down on our way to revenge...not because I like you."

Grudgingly the centaur bent down and allowed the boy to settled himself behind her back, clutching her mane happily. Then the centaur took off...heading with the others towards the tower.

-review!!! puh lease!!!!


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